Improvement in street-sweeping machines



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C. Z. ONEILL. Street-Sweeping Machine. No. 220,252. Patented Oct. 7,1879.

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N. PETERS. PHOTO LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

l rUNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

CHARLES Z. ONEILL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN STREET-SWEEPING MACHINES.

Speciiication forming part of Lctters.Patent No. 220,252, dated October' 7, 1879; application filed February 13, 1879.

'To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES Z. ONEILL, of Boston, in the -county ot' Suffolk and State fot' Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Street-Sweeping Machines, ot which the following is a specitication.

t My invention relates to certain improve- 'mentsin the construction of street-sweeping machines7 whereby I gain great simplicity and ease of operation, and at the same time great strength of construction and etticiency ot' action, and the invention consists in certain details of construction, for the purpose of enabling the rotating, brush-roller to be readily raisedand lowered, as occasion requires. while in operation, together with other details hereinafter fully set forth.

v'Referring to the drawings, Figure l represents a top or plan view of a machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ot' the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view,

gear wheel D, which is arranged to slide on the shaft, but made to turnwit-h the same. C is a counter-shaft journ aled inbearin gs depending from one side and the front cross-bar of the machine, as shown in Figs. l and 2. To the shaft C is Xed a smaller bevel-gear wheel corresponding With the gear-wheel D. At the rear ot' the bevel-gear D is arranged a clutch, F, the arms of which play in the groove e, as

` shown. The clutch or shipping lever F is pivoted to a bar, G, attached to the central beam, A', of the machine. F2 is a continuation ot' the shipping-lever, and is swiveled at g, so as to turn freely around. The lever F2 is curved, as shown in Fig. 3, and at its upper extremity is attached a spherical counterpoise,f, the object of which is to hold the bevel-gear D in connection with the gear E, or out of connection with the same, as required, according to the position to which it is turned by the operatorot the machine. H is the rotary brushroller, arranged diagonally across the machine, and ot' the usual construction. The axes L are journaled in boxes K, Figs. 2 and 6, having grooves in each vertical edge, and are iitted to slide in the curved guides I I, which latter consist of metal plates depending from the t'rame, and having a central slot or opening, as shown in Fig. 2. The boxes K are suspended by chains M, extending from arms a a -of a rock-shaft, N, extending across the machine parallel to the brush-roller, as shown.

To the rock-shaft N is attached, at a point convenient to the driver, a segmental ratchet, O', attached to or forming a part of an arm or lever, O, as shown in Fig. S; and to theunder side of the central beam, A, of the frame is attached the spring-pawl P, which engages `with the ratchet-teeth ot the segment O', by

means of which, asthe lever O is pushed forward to turn the rock-shaft N, the arms n a are raised, and thus elevate the brush-roller and hold the saine in an elevated position.

When the brush-roller is to be lowered for work, the spring-pawl P is disengaged from Ythe ratchet-teeth O' by pressing upon. the tripper p, which allows the rock-shaft to turn, and the brush-roller descends by its own weight, the journal-boxes K easily sliding in the guides I to the extent of the chain M. The curved slots in the` guides form an are, of which the drivin g-chain R constitutes the radius, so that as the journal-boxes K move in the said guides all binding of the same is avoided.

To the forward end of the counter-shaft C is secured the sprocket-wheel Q, which carries the endless chain R, the latter also passing around the toothed cap or shell S, attached to the end of the brush-roller, as shown in detail in Fig. 6, by means of which rotary motion is imparted to the brush-roller when the bevelgears D and E are in contact and the machine in condition for work. To each end of the brush-roller H is attached a cap or shell, S, ot' the form shown in Fig. 7. It is firmly fixed on the endof the roller H by means of splines or projections S', fitting in corresponding grooves on the roller, the said splines being on the inside of therim of shell S, and of which there may be two or more. The shell S has a square hole, b", in its head, as shown in Fig. 7, in which is titted the square shoulder lof the axis L, Fig. 9. The axis L is formed with a screw portion, l', which is screwed into the end of the brush-roller H, as shown in Fig. 6. The shell S is provided with teeth s s on the outside, with which the links of the endless drivin g-chain engage at the forward end. Near the forward end of the brush-roller is arranged a metal disk or flange, T, of a diameter somewhat lessthan that of the ends of the brushes, for the purpose of preventing the brush-knots from interfering with the drivingchain. The said ange fits loosely upon the roller H.

The device by which the wheels are made to turn independently of the axle when the machine is backing or turning, and by which they are connected when advancing, is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, Fig. 4 being a longitudinal section of the wheel, and Fig. 5 a transverse section on the line 1 2 of Fig. 4. U is a hub of the wheel W, and C the rim that receives the spokes.

On a portion of the shaft or axle B, within the hub U, is fitted a sleeve or box, Y, and secured to the same by means of a spline or screw, u. At the inner end of the box Y are formed ratchet-teeth extending entirely around the inner side, as shown in Fig. 5. In the portion of the shaft B surrounded by the ratchetteeth is a recess, in which is fitted to slide freely a dat metal block, a, as shown, and at the bottom of the said recess is a spring, b, which tends to force ont. the block, so as to keep it in contact with the ratchet-teeth, so that as the machine moves forward, the bevelgears D and E being in contact, the block a will be held against the square ends of the ratchet-teeth in box Y, and thus, as the machine advances, the roller-brush will be caused to turn; but in case the machine moves backward, or in turning, if one wheel turns backward, the block a will be forced ont of connection with the ratchet-teeth, and thus allow the wheel or wheels to turn independently of the axle and without turning the brush-roller.

By placing the ratchet-teeth and sliding block directly in the center of the hub an even bearing is maintained on the hnb and all undue strain on the wheels prevented, and, moreover, the device is kept free from dirt, and consequently acts more freely and is more durable than the ordinary clutches or pawls placed on the exterior part of the hub.

In case of injury, the box Y can be easily removed and its place supplied by a new one, thereby saving the expense of renewing the whole hub.

The hub U is secured to the shaft B by means of a disk or washer, V, provided with a square hole, and fitting upon the square end of the shaft, where it is secured by the nut X.

The machine is to be provided with a scat for the driver, which is so arranged as to ena.- ble him to perform all the necessary manipulations for operating the machine without leaving his seat.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The swiveled connterbalanced lever F' F2 f and clutch F, in combination with the sliding bevel-gear wheel D on the shaft B, as and for the purpose specitied.

2. The shell S, provided with exterior teeth and interior splines or projections, S', tting in corresponding grooves in the brush-roller, and having a square opening fitting on the screwaxis L, attached to the brush-roller H, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The independent or separate box or sleeve Y, fitted on the shaft B within the hub U, and provided with internal ratchet-teeth, in combination with the sliding block a and spring b, fitted in a recess in the shaft B, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, in a street-sweeping machine, of the rock-shaft N, provided with the arms n, and operated by the segmental ratchet and lever 0 O and spring-pawl P, the

axle-box K, held by the adjusting-chains M and the curved guides I, in connection with the drivin g-chain R and sprocket-wheel Q on the shaft C, as and for the 1purpose specified.

In testimony whereof Witnesses:

J. H. ADAMS, T. F. LALLY.

have signed my naine to this speciiication in the presence of 

